The Lizzie McGuire Movie
| aspect = 2.35:1 | distributor = Walt Disney Pictures | released = May 2, 2003 | location = | runtime = 94 min. | language = English | budget = $17,000,000 (estimated) | gross = $53,945,664 (worldwide) (7 November 2003) | imdb_id = 0306841}}The Lizzie McGuire Movie is a 2003 American teen comedy film directed by Jim Fall, starring Hilary Duff in the lead role based on the Disney Channel original TV series. The film also stars Adam Lamberg, Robert Carradine, Hallie Todd, Jake Thomas, Yani Gellman, Alex Borstein, Ashlie Brillault and Clayton Synder. It was released by Walt Disney Pictures on May 2, 2003 and serves as the finale of the TV series. Plot The film begins as Lizzie McGuire (Hilary Duff) prepares for her junior-high graduation with one of her two closest friends, David "Gordo" Gordon (Adam Lamberg). Her other friend, Miranda has chosen to skip the graduation ceremony in favor of a trip to Mexico City to visit relatives. During the ceremony, Lizzie trips onstage and accidentally brings the curtain down on her fellow graduates; this causes her to be teased by her ex-best friend, Kate Sanders (Ashlie Brillault) and her younger brother Matt (Jake Thomas). After graduation, Lizzie and her class embark on a trip to Rome chaperoned by their future high school principal, the stern Angela Ungermeyer (Alex Borstein). To their dismay, Lizzie and Kate are assigned to the same hotel room. Their class visits the Trevi Fountain where Lizzie is approached by an Italian pop star named Paolo (Yani Gellman) who mistakes her for his singing partner, Isabella (also played by Duff). Paolo asks Lizzie to meet him at the fountain the next day & she feigns illness to sneak away. He explains that he and Isabella are booked for the Italian Music Awards, but she left Italy after their breakup. Paolo tells Lizzie that Isabella lip syncs, and begs her to pose as Isabella for the concert. Although she reluctantly agrees, she begins to enjoy the life of an Italian pop star: designer clothes, dance rehearsals, and adoration from fans. Lizzie continues to fake being ill to prepare for the concert, but Kate quickly figures out her secret. To Lizzie's surprise, Kate agrees to help her and the two become friends again. Lizzie begins to fall in love with Paolo, to Gordo's dismay. Ethan (Clayton Snyder) suspects Gordo is jealous of Paolo, though he insists otherwise. Meanwhile, Ms. Ungermeyer interrogates the students to learn who has been sneaking out. Gordo takes the blame, and is sent back home as punishment. Lizzie is shocked when Kate says that Gordo sacrificed himself to protect her. At the airport Gordo meets Isabella, who has returned for the concert and is upset to hear that Lizzie is impersonating her. She and Gordo realize that Paolo is planning to cut Lizzie's microphone at the concert, demonstrating to the crowd that Isabella is a fake. Paolo's plan is to ruin Isabella's career and embarrass Lizzie. Gordo and Isabella rush to the concert to stop him. Back home, Matt browses the Internet and finds Italian gossip sites with pictures of Lizzie as Isabella. When Matt tells his parents, the family flies to Rome to stop Lizzie and bring her home. Ms. Ungermeyer realizes that Lizzie is missing again, and Ethan accidentally reveals that she is at the Italian Music Awards. The class rushes to the concert to find Lizzie; Gordo and Isabella find her backstage preparing for the show and warn her about Paolo's scheme. Lizzie refuses to believe them at first, but Isabella insists that Gordo can be trusted and Paolo is using her. During the performance Isabella and Gordo expose Paolo by turning on his microphone, revealing his real voice. Embarrassed, Paolo runs off and is ambushed outside by paparazzi. His bodyguard, Sergei (Brendan Kelly), tells him it is time to face reality and quits. Sergei flirts with Ms. Ungermeyer, who has gotten the class and Lizzie's family into the concert by beating up the bouncers. Isabella introduces Lizzie to the crowd, and has her sing "What Dreams Are Made Of". As a singer, Lizzie gains a newfound confidence. Later, they celebrate at the hotel's after party. Ms. Ungermeyer rescinds Gordo's punishment and Lizzie's parents (despite being proud of Lizzie) tell her she is grounded for the rest of the summer. Lizzie and Gordo sneak away from the party to go up to the roof. They promise to never let things change between them. The two kiss and rejoin the party. Cast *Hilary Duff as Lizzie McGuire\Isabella Parigi *Adam Lambert as David "Gordo" Gordon *Robert Carradine as Sam McGuire *Hallie Todd as Jo McGuire *Jake Thomas as Matt McGuire *Yani Gellman as Paolo Valisari *Alex Borstein as Ms. Angela Ungermeyer *Clayton Snyder as Ethan Craft *Ashlie Brillault as Kate Sanders *Carly Schroeder as Melina Bianco *Daniel R. Escobar as Mr. Escobar *Jody Raicot as Giorgio *Terra MacLeod as Franca DiMontecatini *Claude Knowlton as the stage manager Production The film (which was produced by Stan Rogow) was directed by Jim Fall from a screenplay by Susan Estelle Jansen, Ed Decter and John J. Strauss & was filmed on location in Rome, Italy. Filming took place from October 16, 2002 to December 11, 2002. All the series characters reprised their roles in the film except for Lalaine (who portrayed the role of Miranda Sanchez), who left the series late in the second season to film the Disney Channel original movie "You Wish!" Her character was said to be on vacation with her family in Mexico City. Box Office During its opening weekend, "The Lizzie McGuire Movie" grossed $17,338,755 in 2,825 theaters in the United States & Canada, ranking second behind X2: X-Men United. By the end of its run, the film has grossed $42,734,455 domestically and $12,800,000 internationally for a worldwide total of $55,534,455. Critical Reception The film had a mixed critical reception based on 96 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 40% overall approval rating on the site. Scott Brown of Entertainment Weekly gave the film a B+: "Let's face it: Lizzie McGuire (Hilary Duff) is just too darn polished to be a junior-high underdog, even by the standards of her 'luxe suburban environs'. But that hasn't tarnished her comeback-kid cred among the six-and-ups who faithfully follow her Disney Channel show—and it doesn't make The Lizzie McGuire Movie, a clever, agreeably weightless theatrical outing, any less enjoyable." Conversely, Roger Ebert gave the film two stars out of four, but praised Alex Borstein's performance, calling her work "the only really delightful element in the movie; everything else is simply slick and professional." Trailer External links * Lizzie McGuire Movie, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, The Movie Lizzie McGuire Movie, The Lizzie McGuire Movie, The Category:Animation Category:Drama Category:2003 films Category:Hollywood Walk of Fame Category:Comedy-drama films Category:Teen films Category:American teen films Category:American teen comedy films Category:American teen drama films Category:Box Office Bombs Category:2000s films Category:Rated PG movies Category:Films set in Italy Category:Films shot in Italy Category:Films shot in Canada